New Delhi: Opposition alliance India MPs on Monday took out a march from Parliament to the Election Commission (ECI) headquarters under the leadership of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. However, the Delhi Police stopped the march midway. Later the opposition MPs started protesting against the government. When the situation worsened, the police detained many leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi. However, later Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were seen coming out of the police station.
Delhi Police detained India Block MPs including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut and Sagarika Ghosh. They were protesting against SIR and were marching from Parliament to the Election Commission. Delhi Police stopped this march midway.
The police had already said that no permission was taken for the march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters. After the MPs were stopped, they protested against the government. Shashi Tharoor also joined this march. Priyanka Gandhi was also seen protesting by clapping. In the pictures released on social media, Akhilesh Yadav was seen jumping from the barricades.
Meanwhile, TMC MP Mitali Bagh fainted when the march of opposition MPs towards the Election Commission office was stopped by security officials on Parliament Street. Rahul Gandhi helped her and put her in the car.
In view of this march of the opposition alliance, the Delhi Police had already barricaded the roads. The march started from Parliament House at around 11:30 am today and was to cover a distance of about one kilometer to the Election Commission office.
This demonstration was done to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar and to express concern over alleged electoral irregularities. During this, the opposition alliance accused the ruling BJP government of weakening the democratic process by manipulating the voter list.
This is a fight to save the Constitution: Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, ‘The reality is that they cannot speak. The truth is in front of the country. This fight is not political. It is a fight to save the Constitution. This is a fight for one person, one vote. We want a clean voter list.’
March stopped midway: Jairam Ramesh
During this, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, ‘My letter to the Election Commission was straightforward and I had clearly written that all opposition MPs will take out a peaceful march from Parliament to the Election Commission. All MPs want to give a document about SIR to the Election Commission.
This was our demand. I wrote this letter yesterday evening and the ‘Election Commission’, which has now become the ‘Churao Commission’, did not give me any answer. Now they are saying that only 30 MPs can come. We wanted all opposition MPs to collectively give a document to the Election Commission. We have been stopped here. We are not being allowed to go to the Election Commission.’
Election Commission’s interest lies in resolving these questions: Shashi Tharoor
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, ‘As long as people have doubts about the fairness of elections, the credibility of the Election Commission is being harmed. If these doubts are dispelled, the credibility of the Election Commission can be regained. The Election Commission’s own interest lies in resolving these questions.’
